Montessori Curriculum

PRACTICAL LIFE

PRACTICAL LIFE

The Practical Life activities lay the foundation for all other work to be done in the Montessori classroom. The activities are everyday tasks that a child needs to learn to master the care of self and care of the environment. Such activities include pouring, sweeping and tying, as well as grace and courtesy. The activities are presented to the child in such a way that concentration, coordination, independence and order are developed on an individual basis.

SENSORIAL

SENSORIAL

The goal of the Montessori Sensorial section is to educate the child's senses. This curriculum area contains Montessori-specific materials that help the child refine his or her experience of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. In addition, the materials of this section are modeled on scientifically-based concepts, such as metric system dimensions or algebraic formulas. Sensory experience with materials such as these are the child's first step toward understanding the abstract concepts they represent.This education is not an exercise to sharpen the senses, but to allow a child to use his or her senses to understand what he or she sees.

MATHEMATICS

MATHEMATICS

The Mathematical concepts are offered to children concretely. Hands on material create an enjoyable approach to arithmetic and geometry."This system in which a child is constantly moving objects with his hands and actively exercising his senses, also takes into account a child's special aptitude for mathematics. When they leave the material, the children very easily reach the point where they wish to write out the operation. They thus carry out an abstract mental operation and acquire a kind of natural and spontaneous inclination for mental calculations."

LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE

Writing is a key to a double gain. It enables the hand to master a vital skill like that of speaking and to create a second means of communication that reflects the spoken word in all its details. Writing is thus dependent upon mind and hand.
Montessori language curriculum is an integrated approach that combines phonetics and whole language. The child is first introduced to letters and sounds. After several sounds are mastered, he can begin to decode read and encode spell words by linking these sounds together. Words that do not follow the patterns or rules of the English language are presented as sight words. Once the child has gained confidence with his language skills, he can use it to enhance his studies in other areas of the classroom. He can read to research science, geography and history. He can write reports, sharing his learning with his peers. He can follow written recipes and instructions, and record his observations and results. The same approach has been formulated to the teaching of the Arabic Language.

CULTURAL

CULTURAL

The Cultural materials provide children with experience in geography, history, art and natural science. As in other areas, the child first experiences culture on a concrete level. Activities include puzzle maps for geography, personal time lines for history, simple science experiences such as "sink & float" and a range of paints and materials for art.